Intermediary
by speedythesloth
Summary: Tidus has returned and life is blissful for the reunited couple. All the evils have been purged, but when Yuna becomes pregnant, she worries that somehow, such peace is too good to be true... and she's right.
1. A long Awaited Serenity

_The plane had been closed off for millennia, and Spira was able to exist in relative peace because of it. Many evils were banished there, and humanity was saved from myriad of terrible foes it had never been aware of, ones that dwarfed the terror of Sin. However, the magic that sealed it was never understood, even by its casters, and one very specific set of circumstances could undo that seal.. and spell Spira's doom. _

* * *

"I'll always cherish you, Tidus!" she exclaimed into his chest. She embraced him tightly- as if to find out how much pressure might make pyreflies come out- and buried her face in his now drenched neck.

"Hey, I'm all wet!" Tidus breathed, more to get her to ease her hold than to show care for her clothing.

"I don't care. You're here, and I'll never let go of you." Yuna replied with a smile, her bi-colered eyes now meeting his. Tidus could feel her heartbeat against his chest, and the smile he wore threatened to jump off of his face. After Yuna's story- the two years apart and Vegnagun- Tidus couldn't help but hold Yuna close for as long as she would allow him, which seemed eternal.

Placing his hands around her waist, he pulled her in and kissed her passionately, like he did in Macalania so long ago. To be able to kiss her, let alone_ touch_ her at all made his heart beat faster than any blitzball game or fight with a fiend could. Her mutual eagerness felt new, just like her appearance and composure, but he knew that this was the woman he had loved and gave his life for. She still hadn't let go of him.

After many kisses and giggles, the couple walked over to the campfire that the old group had sat around two years before. With his arm around her shoulder, they sat around the unlit pile and basked in each other's presence.

"So..what now?" Tidus asked, more to the air than to the beauty under his arm.

"Well.. I've had quite enough _adventure_ these last two years," Yuna began, a nervous smile forming. "I was thinking I'd like to settle down. No duties or people to please.. I'd like to go to Besaid."

"Then let's go!" Tidus exclaimed. He needn't even ask if she meant_ with him_; the two knew that they would never want to be apart again. "We'll build our own hut, and swim in the ocean, and do anything we want, all day!"

The smile Yuna made gave Tidus even more butterflies in his stomach. Despite her new apprearance and confidence, he could see the familiar reserved compsure return, and she nodded happily.

* * *

"And there it is!" Tidus exclaimed proudly. He had hung the last thick rug over their hut's frame (an effort aided by the entire village) and stepped back, hanging his arm on Yuna. She beheld it proudly, and planted a kiss on Tidus' cheek.

"Greetings, neighbors!" Wakka called, interrupting their private happiness. The two had barely had time to themselves these last two weeks- between having to stay in Wakka and Lulu's hut (along with a toddler Vidina) and the whole island still checking on Tidus in amazement of his return, the couple was only a few hours away from being truly alone for the first time since his reappearance.

"Thanks for your help, Wakka," Yuna managed, excusing Tidus' petulant expression. He'd spent plenty of time with Wakka building the hut, and just wanted to have alone time with Yuna.

"My pleasure! I just wanted to give you this! Lu made it. It's for housewarming, ya?"

Wakka presented a crocheted moogle, which Yuna accepted thankfully.

"Speaking of, shouldn't you be helping with Vidina?" Tidus injected, obviously trying to get his flame-haired friend away.

"I see what you're sayin, brudda. I'll leave you lovebirds to your new place. If you need anything, give us a call, ya?"

"You've done so much for us, Wakka. Thanks again for your generosity," Yuna graciously replied, bowing her head as her old Summoner habits still lingered. He took his leave, and the two immediately entered their new home, hand in hand. It was scarcely furnished for now, but they were too happy with their solitude to care about getting more furniture and decorations for the place. Yuna placed the moogle on the small coffee table that sat before their lone couch, and the only other furniture was the bed in the single room. They finished the hut just in time, as the sun was beginning to fade and retract its brilliant orange plumage.

"Welcome home," Yuna lovingly said, again burying herself in Tidus' chest. Those words meant so much more now.

Tidus moved his hands down to her waist, a mischievous grin forming on his lips.

"So, Yuna," he began, "Being gone for two years has made me awfully... tired." His provocative grin and fake yawn caused Yuna to blush.

"Watching you men work hard these two weeks has made me also quite... tired," she replied, grabbing his hand and leading him to their room.

After two long years, the fire of their love had only intesified, and the villagers tactfully allowed them their privacy.

* * *

The following couple of months were positively blissful for the Isle of Besaid. Tidus and Yuna were nearly inseperable- when he fancied a swim or a practice game of blitzball with the Aurochs, Yuna would sit on the beach and call cheers to him. When Yuna wanted to quietly read or practice magic, he would sit nearby and watch, entranced in her beauty which had grown even more in his absence.

Rikku had quite unexpectedly allowed them alone time, but Yuna was quite sure certain eye patched machine head was to blame for that.. and Paine wasn't one for big visits anyway. The two were perfectly happy in their isolated bliss, and Tidus constantly asked for stories of her journeys - much to Yuna's enjoyment. To be able to talk about them now without the pain of missing her beloved was freeing, and Tidus listened to every word she said (though sometimes with a sour face at the mention of this "Baralai").

It was a minor shock when Tidus awoke and Yuna wasn't next to him. With a scowl and a yawn, he sleepily got up and called her name, pulling on pajama pants as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm.. in the bathroom" Yuna replied, though somehing in her voice worried Tidus. He opened the door to their small lavatory and found her leaning against the sink, a troubled look on her face. She locked eyes with him, and he recognized fear.

"Tidus, I'm pregnant." she said, more to herself than to him.

Immediately, Tidus' lethargy turned into euphoria.

"Yuna, that's great! Don't you see? Oh my gods.. You're pregnant! Are you okay with that? What's wrong?" he blurted, many things trying to be said at once. His ebullient expression lifted some of the haze from Yuna's expression, but a look of worry still lingered.

"But you're a... aren't you? Are you really real? What does this mean?" she asked, choking up and fighting tears. The subject of him being real or not was about the only one they had not broached since their reunion.

"Real enough to get you pregnant!"" Tidus answered with a cocky grin. He opened his arms and Yuna obligingly buried her face in his neck, squeezing him again as if to test his substantiality.

"Easy there, tiger! I'm here - On Spira. And we're a family now! I know it's sort of sudden.. we are young after all, but there's no Sin or Vegnagun or any monsters that can take our happiness away anymore," Tidus coaxed and, lifting her chin, kissed her gently on the lips.

"I just never expected this to happen. I love you." Yuna breathed, clearly still shaken.

"And I love you, Yuna. I promise you that nothing will get in our way. I'll be with you every single step and we'll get through anything together. For as long as you'll have me."

A smile now appeared on Yuna's face, which reawakened Tidus' euphoric grin. Laughing nervously, they exited the small bathroom and Tidus sat his love on their small couch.

"I think this calls for a little victory breakfast! You sit tight and I'll whip you something up!" Tidus excitedly called as he loudly shuffled through the pots and pans. To Yuna's delighted surprise, Tidus was an excellent cook - years of raising himself trained him to be quite the chef. With her hand unconsciously finding its way to her abdomen, she sweetly called, "How about some of your famous pancakes?"

"Of course, m'lady!" Tidus replied, igniting the oven and preparing the ingredients in their scant kitchen. Watching him happily crack the eggs and mix batter made Yuna's anxiety wane, but the tiniest of knots still lingered in her heart. Could this really be happening? It had to be too good to be true. Her mind wandered for a few moments as she stared at the coffee table, afraid that this was some dream. But sure enough, when she looked up again, there he was, happily pouring batter into the pan and humming the old Hymn.

"You know, we're going to have to tell everyone about this." Yuna stated, her hand still on her belly.

"No prob! I bet the whole of Spira will be lining up to give us baby presents!" Tidus replied, presenting her with two strawberry-topped pancakes. "You and me, ok?"

Yuna happily nodded, and noted his addition of her favorite fruit as she accepted his gift. His expectant look prompted her to take a bite, and her satisfaction with the food he prepared made Tidus' cerulean eyes glow.

"Besides, how crazy could it be?"

* * *

News of Yuna's pregnancy caused an uproar of good feelings throughout not only Besaid, but all of Spira. They had made global news, and were the talk of all the cities and villages in Spira. Rikku immediately came to visit, squealing her excitement in tones reserved for dogs' hearing. Lulu was uncharacteristically chipper, and not a single admirer commented on their young age. The star crossed lovers who defeated Sin could truly do no wrong in the eyes of the public.

In their small hut, now more substantially adorned with gifts from admirers near and far, the couple were joined by Rikku and their neighbors Wakka and Lulu (who had Vidina suspended on her hip).

"Yunie, I'm just so happy for you! I can't believe you guys are having a **baby**!" Rikku squealed, accenting the last word. Though there were now many more seats in the hut, Rikku was content to jump up and down while Tidus and Yuna sat on their first couch.

"Congratulations, you two," said Lulu in her soft viola voice, "I can't think of two people more suited to start a family." This prompted an indignant expression from Wakka, to which Lulu replied, "Dear, marrying you was a surprise to even me. It doesn't mean I don't love you."

Lulu's scarlet gaze, which normally made men straighten their backs and clear their throat, eased Wakka's heart and he returned to his happy composure.

"Have you thought of any names?" Rikku questioned, still doing her characteristic pee-pee dance of joy.

"You're only a few weeks along, am I correct?" Lulu inserted, to which Yuna replied, "Yes, four."

"So I doubt they're thinking of names just yet, Rikku," Lulu said to the golden haired girl, who pouted just a bit.

"You could name him after your ol' pal, Wakka! We been through some stuff, ya?" Wakka joked, making Tidus laugh.

"Now hang on everybody, we just found out a week ago! Besides, if I want a goofy islander boy as a son, I could pick a better name than Wakka!" Tidus teased. Wakka's feign at offense was enough to make Yuna, who had been relatively silent throughout the visit, give out a short chuckle."

"I just can't believe I'm - we're having a baby. 6 months ago I still wasn't sure I'd even see you again," Yuna chimed as she trained her eyes on Tidus, who returned a sickeningly lovey stare.

"Sheesh, no wonder you're having a baby!" Rikku joked, now still enough to sit in a luxurious chair provided by the Youth League.

The four friends spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, and Tidus only left Yuna's side to get her food or do some other small favor. Rikku commented on her want of such a love, which earned her teasing about Gippal, but the subject seemed to sour her mood, and the others digressed. The hut was now cramped with gifted furniture and knick knacks, making for a cozy situation in their previously drafty hut. Vidina was quite the quiet baby, which proved fortunate when Wakka and Tidus were animatedly arguing about who had struck the last blow on Evrae. However, his sudden shrieking (which Lulu deciphered as hunger) prompted the mother to retire to her hut, her husband in tow. It was after dark, and even Rikku was showing signs of tiring.

"Well, it's pretty late," Tidus yawned, with the obvious intention of getting rid of Rikku. The blonde completely missed his sentiment, however, and merely chirped "yeah, I'm pooped!" After a pause, she continued, "Tidus, I really missed you, you know? I missed this. I'm glad you're back."

Such a sober statement from Rikku was quite meaningful to the tanned blitzer, and his previous ire at her lingering faded.

"Would you like to crash here?" Tidus offered, halfway reluctantly. Yuna beamed though, and he knew it was a closed deal.

"I'd love to! That couch looks awfully comfy!" she smiled.

After the trio idly talked and prepared for sleep, Yuna bade her cousin goodnight and extinguished the torches, then joined her beloved in bed. Despite his previous profession of sleepiness, she faced him and found his eyes as bright as morning.

"I can't believe this is really happening," he said for the millionth time, pulling her close and entwining his legs in hers. Once again, he could feel her heartbeat in his chest.

"Is something wrong, Yuna?" Tidus whispered as he ran his hands on her soft cheek. Her eyes met his and affirmed his inquiry, as they always did.

"No, it's not," she began, "It's just that for my whole life, there's been some evil in the world. It's hard to imagine everything will be so easy like you said." she admitted.

After a moment of consideration, Tidus replied, "I know. I'm still shocked every time I open my eyes and can feel with my hands and hear with my ears. But when I look at you, I feel every worry fade and I know that everything is really okay now. And if something ever came up, I'll knock it down right away! We defeated Sin, Yuna! We can do anything in the world!"

Yuna allowed herself a small smile, but gave him another tight squeeze, which Tidus now called "reality checks".

"I promise, Yuna. Nothing will ever get in our way. And soon we'll have a child who won't have to fear Sin or any evil! I'm more scared of being a dad than anything we've done in the past." Tidus admitted. Yuna looked at him in disbelief.

"Tidus, I know you'll be a wonderful father! And I can't wait to see you stare at something other than me for once!" she teased, cupping his face in admiration.

"Yuna, I won't disappear. It's okay to look forward to our life together! I'll be right by your side, every step of the way. You and me, remember?"

After a short moment of thought, Yuna surrendered.

"Promise me." she whispered.

"Yuna, I promise you. Everything's going to be okay." Tidus coaxed. The two embraced even closer, and fell asleep to the sound of Rikku's voracious snoring.

* * *

_The portal is opening... after one thousand years, I can see a glimpse into Spira.. Yes, I am sure of it. I have not rested. I will never calm until I right the wrong they did... **I will kill them all.**_

* * *

**Okay, so this was painful to write because it's all exposition. BUT! Stay tuned for the next chapter, cause some shit's gonna go down! Feel free to leave critique!**


	2. When Dream And Day Unite

Slithering in its ethereal abyss, the creature growled. After an eternity without any use of its senses, the beast suddenly perceived a rhythmic percussive noise... a heartbeat. An evil grin formed on its jaws, and a pinhole-sized window into another world now appeared in its mind ... _the old world. _Laughing now, the wretched being could not help but laugh maniacally as senses of touch, sight, smell, and sound now reentered its consciousness.

_Soon.._

* * *

**3 months later**

Rikku's stay had ended up being longer than one night... _much _longer. She had confided in Yuna that Bikanel simply had "no interest for her anymore". Seeing through her cousin's deception, the pregnant woman used her heterochrome stare to ellicit the truth (Rikku folded like a lawnchair).

"It's all that _pedlr _Nhadala's fault! Things with Gippal were going just great, and then she showed up and stole my man!" she whined, throwing one of the donated pillows in a tantrum.

"You and Gippal were dating? You never told me.." Yuna replied neutrally, not wanting to trigger any more ire from Rikku. However, the blonde's face went sour, and she diverted eye contact.

"Well... no. Not really. Not yet, but I just know he was interested in me! Always flirting with me and the like! You know?" she pleaded, as if Yuna could fix the situation.

"Perhaps he's just... friendly," Yuna offered, making sure to have a consoling face. She was being as gentle as possible with her dear cousin, but the girl would not have it. After three months of being moody and repressed, she was now venting everything.

"Just friendly! _So ycc!_ That smarmy bastard took my heart and threw it out in the desert! I never want to see Home again!" she proclaimed, pacing around like a hen. Tidus, who had been a standing by quietly, broke his silence by asking,

"Well wouldn't you like to stay in Wakka and Lulu's place? It's bigger, and you'll have goofy Wakka to cheer you up!" His facade of sympathy was unappreciated by both Yuna and Rikku, and the former motioned for him to follow her outside the hut and said flatly, "Tidus? A word."

Embarrassed, he followed with his head down. Outside the tent, Yuna trained a stern gaze into her lover's very soul and without malice, whispered: "Rikku is my family. Just like how you and this baby are my family. You said you would stand by me, anywhere I go, and I'm going to allow her to stay with us until she feels better. She's obviously very heartbroken, and I'm disappointed in your selfishness!"

Tidus' tail was firmly between his legs. "You're absolutely right. I'm sorry, I guess I've been hogging you for the last 6 months…" he murmured. He had rarely upset Yuna in their time together, and it was quite a deal when he did. However, Yuna's hardened face quickly softened, and she pecked his cheek, adding "It's okay, dear. You and me, right?"

With a grin, Tidus saluted, "That's right m'lady!"

They entered the tent to find Rikku quickly retreating from the entrance; the Al Bhed had unsurprisingly been eavesdropping.

"I'm sorry, Tidus." she meekly stated, not meeting his azure eyes.

"Rikku, I'm the one who should be sorry. You're a dear friend, and I was being immature. You're more than welcome to stay with us as long as you need!" he apologized, flashing his trademark girn to lift her spirits.

"Well now that you guys know, I guess I can stop sulking! Thanks for letting me stay, I've really enjoyed it here." Rikku posited, though a look of sadness still lingered in her eyes.

"Tell you what, champ! Why don't we go to the beach and throw a blitzball around? Some physical activity oughtta get you out of your funk!" Tidus suggested, grabbing Yuna's hand as he did so.

"Sure! Let's go, Yunie!" Rikku excitedly replied as she began to head for the southern beach. Tidus collected his blitzball and headed for the entrance rug, when he noticed Yuna wasn't behind him and staring blankly. Her hand was gently placed on her belly.

"Hon? Aren't you coming?" Tidus asked suspiciously. However, Yuna didn't seem to acknowledge him.

_Was that a kick? It's only been four months…_

"Yuna!" Tidus was now lightly shaking her, wearing a concerned gaze.

"It's nothing. I thought…" she paused, much to Tidus' agonizing impatience. "I thought I felt a kick. But there's no way, I'm only four months along. I'm not even showing yet!" Yuna fretted.

"Yuna, don't worry! I think you're just getting a bit of cabin fever. We've been sitting in the hut for days listening to Rikku mope! Let's go have a nice time at the beach, you'll feel better!" Tidus consoled, placing his free hand on her belly for a short time.

"See? No kicks. Let's go get some fresh air, okay?"

Yuna nodded, but the startle hadn't quite washed off yet. Was she going crazy? It definitely felt like a kick... But then again, what did she know? She'd never been pregnant before.

"Dear, I'm going to see Lulu. Go and keep Rikku entertained, okay?" Yuna murmured with a feeble attempt at a calm face. Her companion wasn't fooled, and only moved closer.

"Yuna, if you're really worried, then we can stay here! I'll rub your back and do whatever you need, okay?" Tidus offered eagerly, but his lover merely shook her head.

"Lulu will know what to say. She's been pregnant before, after all." She then wore a halfway genuine smile and continued, "Don't worry. I'll be at her hut when you get back, okay?"

Tidus scowled, but obeyed his benevolent partner's request. He wasn't one to go against her wishes, despite his concern. However, he knew he would always be just a whistle away. The two departed with a kiss and another of Yuna's reality checks, leaving Tidus' heart heavy with concern. It was just like Yuna to take matters onto herself; he knew that. It was up to him to always offer a hand, even if she didn't ask for it, and keep two ears open for their trademark whistle at all times. Taking a last look over his shoulder, he saw Yuna waving goodbye to him as she ambled over to Lulu's hut. He returned the wave, blew a kiss, and met and impatient Rikku on the narrow path out of the village.

Yuna didn't look back again because she knew she would meet a cerulean stare that would threaten to unravel to façade she had constructed. She knew that playing off the true shock she felt was a dumb move; she and Tidus had given each other full disclosure in their months of happiness, but something about the severity of it prompted the old Yuna to push him away. That she was behaving this way confused her enough, and all of Tidus' well intended consolation would only make her feel suffocated... Lulu would likely have some kind of answer to assuage her anxiety.

She found the mage already outside her hut, as if some clairvoyance had allowed her to expect Yuna's visit.

"What's the matter?" she questioned peacefully.

"Lulu, it's so weird.. and I don't know if you'll believe me.. I'm just so.." Yuna began fretting, but was soothingly cut off by her friend.

"Slow down, Yuna. Come inside. Wakka and Vidina are at the beach, so we can get comfortable and speak in confidence."

Motioning Yuna in a motherly fashion, Lulu sat her friend on a comfy armchair, and occupied the couch opposite her.

"Lulu, I felt a kick. I know I'm only 4 months along, I'm not even _showing,_ but nothing anyone says can convince me that I'm wrong, _I felt a kick._"

The scarlet eyed woman took a moment to think, never breaking her stoic composure. The silence cause Yuna to anxiously fiddle with her hands and bounce her legs.

"I have absolutely no confirmation on this, but," Lulu began cautiously, "The father of your child was, or maybe still is, a dream of the fayth. He seems completely human enough now, but anyway you slice it, he was conjured by some force. This is the first time in history that such a thing has happened, and a pregnancy like yours is completely unique."

Yuna's panicked expression prompted Lulu to soothingly hold Yuna's hand, and she continued, "I do not believe there will be any problems with your pregnancy. However, you will need close monitoring so that we know what we're dealing with as things come along."

When Yuna still showed signs of anxiety, Lulu said, "Don't worry, Yuna. Just because this has never been done before doesn't mean it will end in misfortune. We've done things for the first time in history before, haven't we?" Lulu smiled, which seemed to ease Yuna's heart.

"You're right. And I've still got you guys." _I've got Tidus. _

"That's right, Yuna. One thing is for sure - your child will be very unique in the world of Spira." Lulu sighed, satisfied that she could help her surrogate sister.

"Lulu, thank you. I'll let you know if anything else odd happens." Yuna said, bowing her head as she stood to leave.

"My home is always open, Yuna." Lulu replied, escorting her friend out.

_If the baby is unique, then is Tidus not fully human?_ Yuna mused as she walked to her own hut. Her thoughts were racing, and all the emotional duress made her want to just sleep. Maybe it's just hormones..

* * *

"Yuna, wake up!" Tidus frantically cried, shaking his beloved awake.

Yuna found herself in a fetal position, the blankets all knotted and thrown about the bed. Tidus' face told her something was wrong, and the fear in her heart agreed.

"I was having a terrible dream! Oh my.." Yuna began, but tears burts from her eyes, and Tidus immediately held her close, panicking at his lack of understanding. They sat there for some time; Yuna's tears were rampant despite Tidus' soothing words and embracing. He held her all the tighter, hoping to imbue her body with some peace. After she calmed down slightly, Tidus cautiously asked:

"Yuna, what's wrong? What was your dream?"

The young lady did not respond immediately, as if considering the correct words.

"It wasn't that anything _happened _in the dream," she sputtered, "it was the _feelings. _I didn't see anything, but just felt such... such intense malice! It was like a monster had invaded my dreams with its hate and I _felt _it, Tidus! It was like Yu Yevon!" tears continued to flow, and all Tidus could do was continue to hold her and continue to breathe through her intense reality checking.

"Shh dear, I'm here! You don't need to keep reality checking me, because I'm not going anywhere! I'm human, Yuna!" Tidus consoled as he gently cupped her face which was hot with tears.

"But are you? Are you really, Tidus?" Yuna pleaded, staring into her lover's eyes as if they may fade away again. Instead of fading, they furrowed into a look of confusion.

"Why do you keep asking that? You're pregnant with my child, just like any other human could do!"

Yuna paused and retreated from his gentle hold, squeezing herself as she steeled herself for the information she was about to give.

Hesitantly, Yuna told Tidus what Lulu had said about the nature of Tidus' reality and what it may mean for the baby. He seemed awestruck; the expression he wore was one Yuna had never seen before.

"What if this dream and the kick are related? What if you're only a dream and I'm not supposed to have a baby - or can't?" Yuna panicked.

"Dear, maybe there is some kind of connection to a kick and my _formerly _being a dream... but the dream you just had? It's not like the baby is doing it! I think the stress you're under caused it.. have you eaten since this morning? Lack of food can give you strange dreams too, you know." Tidus soberly replied, still holding her hand. The girl pondered it for a minute, but was clearly still uneasy.

"I think Lulu's right. This child will be special! Because it will be ours! You and me, remember?" Tidus continued, wearing his trademark grin. "Maybe he'll be a superhuman, like in the telesphere shows!" he joked, making a flying motion with his hand. Yuna didn't laugh, but eased a little. Her silence prompted more from her lover.

"Dear, there are too many factors that can explain the bad dream, and it seems my humanness could explain the kick you felt. So there you go! We can't do anything right now, so we're not gonna worry. I'm going to sit you on the couch and make us some nice dinner, alright?"

Yuna's mouth involuntarily curved in a small smile, though Tidus knew the fear was still deep in there. She was so.. _Yuna._

"Alright then, here we go!" Tidus laughed as he spontaneously scooped Yuna in his arms and carried her to the living room. Despite her stress, she submitted a whoop of mirth, and was smiling when her lover sat her on their favorite spot of the couch. Again, her hand unconsciously found her belly.

Tidus prepared smoked fish, which Yuna loved, and the two laughed and talked as they enjoyed their meal. Rikku, who had been absent for most of the day (seeing the sand on the beach put her in a foul mood and she left Tidus to commune with Wakka and young Vidina) returned suddenly, and seemed to cheer slightly when she beheld their happiness.

"You two are so annoyingly cute." She pouted as she helped herself to some of the food Tidus cooked.

"Coming from you? Wow," Tidus joked, earning him a playful slap on the arm from the blonde.

The three ate in relative silence; Rikku's uncharacteristic stoicism and unwillingness to speak about her previous mood change dampened the mood slightly, but Tidus and Yuna knew their dear friend needed their company. It was no surprise when everyone retired early, though Yuna sat with Rikku in the living room a while to have "girl time". This caused Tidus to sit on their bed alone, and his mind suddenly began processing what had transpired earlier.

The kick, the dream.. unique child... Very suddenly, he felt and insecurity about his humanness. He hadn't felt that way since his return... "_Cherish me, Yuna" _he had said. It had worked out so far. And that was enough... right?

His stream of consciousness was interrupted when Yuna sleepily entered their room, muttering some apology about leaving him alone. Tidus flashed his grin and merely opened his arms for them to cuddle and sleep. She sure did sleep a lot now... must be the hormones.

* * *

After what seemed like hours, Tidus couldn't pretend to be asleep anymore. His hand rested gently on Yuna's stomach, which rose and fell with her deep, sleeping breath.

_At least she's having no bad dreams, _he thought. Unable to overcome his jitters, he stealthily left the bed, sure to leave a kiss on Yuna's cheek. He donned his usual blitzer outfit (he hated doing laundry) and stealthily crept past a snoring Rikku and out the hut.

_I need a walk. I need to think._

He found himself on the cliff where Wakka had jokingly shoved him off 2 years ago, gazing at the star-ridden sky. Why couldn't he sleep? Why was he so bothered by what Lulu had said? Of course he was real! Yuna's pregnant! He felt so silly... There must be some explanation, some coincidence that all of these things happened all at the same time. His thoughts raced back and forth, threatening to derail out through his eyes and fill the lake below him.

Tidus remained in his manic thought cycle until a sudden noise behind him made him jump to his feet. His old guardian reflexes had never left him, after all. Expecting a fiend, he readied his stance for a fight, or maybe a jump into the lake if it was something big. Now fully aware of what lay before him, he saw not a fiend, but a young boy of about 13 or so, with light brown hair and red eyes.

"Hey, Dad!"

"Wha- what the hell?!"

* * *

_**Hope you like cliffhangers! Or mostly me pulling ending out of my ass... Sorry that it's starting so slow, I'm trying to get to the good stuff without rushing and compromising content. Please feel free to leave any critique!** _


	3. Setting the Board

Update: I added the last section instead of including it in the next chapter because I felt it belonged in this one. I'd love feedback on the path the plot is taking, if it's too far fetched or whatever give me you input! Thanks for reading!

* * *

Tidus stood there, mouth agape. Millions of words coursed through his mind, but none escaped his mouth. Sure enough, this child looked the part; he had Tidus' facial frame and Yuna's gentle eye shape and lips. Were those red eyes the old man's?

Tidus' moment of suspended thought was interrupted by the boy turning and running in the forest, calling for him to follow.

"Come on, Dad!" he called. Tidus snapped out of his stupor and bounded after the boy, crying, "Wait!"

The boy was fast, that's for sure. He effortlessly traversed the overgrown trail, taking easy steps over the large roots which Tidus had to simply step on to keep up.

"Hang on, kid! Why'd you call me Dad? Slow down a minute, will ya?" Tidus called, but the child didn't let up. He was being led deeper into the forest than Tidus had ever been before, and he instantly wished he had thought to bring his old sword, Brotherhood. Not that he expected to need it on a light walk... _Damn it._

"We're almost there, Dad!" The boy called. His shaggy hair impeded a better view of his face, but something deep in Tidus knew this boy was his son. This _must _be a dream.

The forest was dense, and the starlight was sparse through the thick canopy. Frantically shoving aside foliage and jumping over tall roots, Tidus was allowed no recompense as the nameless boy bounded on. Though he hadn't broken a sweat, he was getting pretty annoyed at his need of effort and lack of information. His eyes remained on the enigmatic boy in front of him, running with apparent ease. After more observation, Tidus noticed that the boy's feet barely seemed to touch the ground as he ran, as if he was gliding on top of the earth beneath him. Despite this phenomenon, Tidus was gaining on him. Planning to catch him so he could get answers, Tidus put a second wind into his run, and came within inches of his target.

However, before he could reach out to grab the strange boy, he witnessed him extend his arms as if grabbing onto a pair of curtains and rip them aside. The very space in front of them tore open into what must be another dimension, and Tidus tried to slam to a halt to avoid it, but was nonetheless pulled into the tear.

"What the hell!?" he cried as he entered, coming to a screeching halt.

"What did you just do!?" he questioned incredulously. However, looking around, he knew exactly where they were. **The Farplane**_. _Tidus instinctively grabbed at his own body, as if to hold in the pyreflies, but none formed. Yuna's reality checks had proved useful, after all.

Calming himself, Tidus looked forward and met the boy's scarlet gaze.

"We're here! I'm so glad to meet you, Dad! Grampa's told me a lot about you!" the boy said with a familiar grin.

"Grampa? You've met Jecht? And how are we here? How did you do that?" Tidus questioned all at once, getting a little frantic.

"Grampa said you'd react this way. Let's sit and talk, okay?" the boy asked, his grin still blazing. He sat right in the tall grass where they appeared, the great waterfall only a stone's throw away. He motioned for Tidus to sit across from him, bubbling with excitement. Cautiously, Tidus obliged and sat cross legged across from the boy.

"What's your name?" Tidus asked with a disbelieving expression.

"You haven't given me one yet!" The boy happily replied. He seemed to be drinking in Tidus' very presence.

"Fair enough… And you're my son? I don't get it. Why do you look like a teenager? You're not even born yet!"

"I'm not quite sure either… I just know that I exist!

An awkward silence ensued. Tidus didn't know quite which of the million questions to ask next, and the child's eager smile was awfully distracting. _Cute kid,_ Tidus thought.

"It's so great to see you, Dad" the boy began, "but I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time to talk. I just had to see you and tell you something super important!"

Intrigued, Tidus questioned "And what's that?"

"Protect Mom. At all costs. No matter what, protect Mom and never let her out of your sight, okay?" The boy said, his eager smile turning to solemn conviction.

Tidus felt a little offended. Of course he would protect Yuna! That was kind of their thing…

"Listen, kid, protecting Yuna is my life's duty. Ever since I met her. You doubting your old man or something?" Tidus replied with a smirk. This made the boy smile again; his scarlet eyes still hadn't left Tidus' cerulean ones for a second.

"I know. It's just-" the boy stopped as he realized his physical being started to fade, and frustration poisoned his face.

"Darn it! Dad, I'll try to explain more to you, because there's a LOT you need to know! Just don't let Mom out of your sight!" He said, fading as his last words left his mouth.

Stunned, Tidus sat cross legged, now staring at nothing. _What the hell was that?_

Standing, Tidus looked around. Barren, except for the plentiful moonlillies.

"Well, now what!?" He cried, feeling a sense of déjà vu as he did so. Fate really had a way of sticking him in lonely places..

However, for once, something answered him. Not a voice, but some kind of growl. Turning around, he saw a monstrous serpent perched on a neighboring flat of land. Its brilliant blue scales and yellow whiskers struck awe into Tidus' heart, but its blood red eyes evoked fear. It's as if malice itself was staring him in the face.

"Oh, shit.." Tidus muttered, painfully aware of his lack of weapon. He stood more still than he thought possible, adrenaline surging through his body. Crouched for fight or flight, his eyes never left the serpent. This was not a new situation, but never had Tidus felt so _terrified_ by a fiend… Was it somehow channeling its anger into Tidus' mind?

Time no longer existed as the beast stared into its prey's eyes, slowly adjusting its position for the pounce. Knowing he would have to move swiftly, Tidus awaited the beast's attack.

However, there was no way he could have hoped of dodging the ferocious thing. Before his eyes could register movement, the serpent's mouth was inches from his face, it's snake toungue and yellow fangs glistening in the pyreflies' light. Tidus' vision went black, and all feeling and cognition ceased before he could lament his death, save for the sound of maniacal laughter….

"Aaah!" Tidus cried, sitting straight up in his bed. An alarmed Yuna quickly sat up and reality checked him, crying "What's wrong?"

After some deep breaths and sobs from Yuna, the two assessed the situation. The sun was beautifully adorning their bedroom, and the gulls were crying in the distance. Amidst the serenity, they exchanged looks and eased their tension. Yuna repeated, "What's wrong?" Her eyes were marred by a few tears; she had obviously thought he was disappearing again.

"Just a dream, Yuna." Tidus sighed, still a little shaken. _A hell of a dream,_ he thought. It had seemed so real! Maybe surreal was more accurate. Either way, his answer was not satisfactory to the beauty who was still holding onto him.

She didn't even need to vocalize; her eyes had made the demands.

"Alright, alright. But don't get all worried, okay? It was a hell of a dream, I'll admit." Tidus began, repositioning himself so they were across from each other, cross legged. Realizing this, he laughed a little.

"What's so funny? Get on with it Tidus, you scared me to death!" Yuna urged.

"Sorry, it's just… In my dream, I met a kid that said he was our son. He looked like you, too. And me of course. I think he had my old man's eyes…" Tidus trailed off, recalling the shaggy haired boy from the dream. It was a dream, right?

"And?" Yuna snapped impatiently. Her panic had not completely ceased. _Our son? How can this be a coincidence after that kick yesterday?_

"So there I was, out on the cliff when he makes me follow him into the forest and tears a whole like a portal or something and we end up in the farplane! I laughed because he and I were sitting just like you and I are now."

Yuna's eyes diverted, as if this news struck a chord in her heart.

"Did he say anything?"

"Yeah he did. Guess what it was? 'protect Mom. Never let her out of your sight.' As if I wouldn't do those things! Pretty dumb considering I'm your guardian and all."

Yuna nearly began to cry again, but not out of sadness. This was too odd to be a coincidence. _This isn't fair! Why does it always have to be one thing after the next! Why can't we just have a normal life?_

"That's not even the weirdest part! He was going to say more, but then he faded away. And then a huge freakin' DRAGON attacked me! It was crazy. And scary, too… It's like its eyes were pure anger.." Tidus trailed off, wishing he could take those last words back. It was too late, however: Yuna's eyes widened and she grabbed Tidus' hands in near hysteria.

"Wait now, before you go saying anything cryptic, it's probably just because we ate a lot right before sleep! The mages in Bevelle were studying that. Saw it on the telesphere the other day!" Tidus interjected, trying to assuage Yuna's panic.

"Don't give me that, Tidus! Yesterday I feel a kick in my womb, and last night you have a dream about _our son _and a monster of pure malice! Just like the dream I had! Don't you see this is bad?" Yuna rambled, freaking out and no longer able to sit still. She paced next to the bed in a full frenzy. Tidus calmly left his place on the bed and planted himself between her and her pacing spot, arms open. The two embraced again, and tightly. Though Yuna's squeezing wasn't like her reality checks; it was more like plain fear.

"Here." Tidus said, motioning for her to sit next to him. She complied, but not calmly.

"I'm putting your hand on my chest. When I breathe in, you breathe in. Exactly like I do. I'm taking away your worry and breathing out calm, got it? We're going to do this and then eat breakfast and figure the rest out. Now close your eyes." he finished suavely.

After a minute or so of Tidus' breathing technique, Yuna opened her heterochrome eyes and let out a sigh, no longer fidgeting.

"Okay. How about some of your pancakes again?" she said, managing a smile that warmed Tidus' heart. Before he could reply, a loud snore reverberated in the small hut.

"Better make those for three!" Yuna chirped, seemingly over her panic.

"Anything for you, darlin'!" Tidus replied, and dutifully left the room to make the breakfast food. Yuna could hear loud crashing and banging of pans that she knew was intended to annoy Rikku, and smiled at her cousin's sleepy cry of "_Lid ed uid! E's yfyga!_", and felt her hand involuntarily find her stomach again.

_Maybe it's just hormones…_

* * *

"You didn't make the best use of your time, boy."

"I'm sorry Grampa… It's just… I haven't seen him in so long, ya know?"

"If what you're telling me is true, then it was only a long time in my world. Right?"

"Well yeah, but… It's nice to see him that way."

"Heh. I know what you mean. Don't worry about him, he'll do just fine. He may have been a crybaby as a kid, but he's really a man now. Don't you tell him I said that! I'm no good at that kind of stuff…"

"I'm sure he'd like to hear it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I wish I could just pop in and see him like you can. Only got 7 years with my son, and he done grown up without me."

"It's not quite that simple… You saw what happened after I left, right? I have to be careful when I approach him." The boy's face now saddened, and he continued:

"As long as he does what I told him, I should be able to visit his dreams more. It's imperative that he stay near Mom. I don't know how the beast appeared in his dream, but it's unnerving."

"Isn't it because they're the -"

"They aren't! Not completely. And if he stays near Mom, I'll be able to figure it out. I'm just a kid, Grampa!"

Jecht chuckled at the child's petulant tone. He was reminiscent of his own son, and he wasn't any good at consoling Tidus as child either.

"I know. But don't worry, boy. If you're half the man – or uh, kid – he is, I know you'll figure it out. He's killed bigger monsters than that dumb ol' thing!" Jecht tried, but the boy only stiffened.

"Grampa, there isn't a being in any of the universes that can hold a candle to that monster. I'm trying my best to navigate the other worlds to gather information on how to defeat it, but all of the universes of its age are nearly collapsed now. It doesn't help that I've only been a 13 year old for millennia."

"You sure talk like you're that old," Jecht huffed. "Maybe you just get the brains from Yuna."

"I wish I knew the answer to that… I never met Mom." The boy replied sullenly.

Jecht put his hand on the boy's shoulder, which seemed to surprise him. Accepting his consolation, the scarlet eyed boy gazed through the stars onto Spira. If only he had had more time… More time to tell Tidus about the monster, about what it was, and how much danger lurked beneath Spira's seeming peace. Tears of frustration involuntarily escaped his eyes, which he wiped away quickly.

"Hey, boy. It's okay to cry. I never told my son that, because I was the real weakling, not him. You'll figure it out. Just let me know how I can help, okay?" The boy beamed back at Jecht through glassy eyes.

"Really?" he asked.

"That is why you summoned me back, isn't it?" Jecht replied, scratching the back of his neck in his usual contra posta.

"That's right, Grampa. Well… that and you're the only family member that coincided in every universe.."

"I'll take that as a thank you. You can tell me more about this multiverse crap along the way."

"Great!" The boy replied. "We leave now. Off we go!" he cried, tearing another hole in what was once thin air. Still shocked by this ability, Jecht hesitated. The lush green field the boy now stood in completely contrasted from the nebula-surrounded rock Jecht stood on now.

"Afraid I might bite?" The boy challenged, beckoning Jecht through.

Laughing, Jecht stepped through. "And you get the smart ass from me, you brat."


	4. Eat first, Answers Later

**I apologize for this being a filler chapter, I really wanted to get a few basic ideas out and have been too busy with work or practice lately to commit to a long write. If there's any interest, I'll be sure to make the next chapter longer and more substantial! Thanks for reading!**

**Without further delay, here ya go!**

**Back on Spira**

Happily eating their pancakes, the three friends idly chatted around the couple's small kitchen table. Rikku seemed to be back to her old chipper self, and Yuna had kept her anxiety at bay. Like Tidus said, they would eat first and figure out the next step later. But when would that be?

"I had the weirdest dream, Yunie," Rikku nonchalantly said after finishing her plate. Expecting a reply, the Al Bhed looked at her cousin and saw only a look of fear.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Rikku fretted, completely oblivious to the events of the last few nights. Instead of replying, Yuna only looked at Tidus. Without words, their eyes conversed:

"_SHE had a dream too?"_

"_I don't know! It's probably just a coincidence. Act cool so she doesn't wonder what's up!"_

"_Maybe she should know, though… We can't keep this between us.."_

"Um, hello? Am I missing something? Why are you guys acting so weird?"

Snapping back into the present, Yuna breathed, "Sorry, I was just lost in thought. What was your dream about?"

Eyeing her companions suspiciously, the girl continued.

"I dreamt that I was in school again, and I forgot to study for a math test! And then suddenly Gippal is my teacher and he gave me an F and then I had no pants on and everyone was laughing at me! Then I turned into a chocobo! It was so weird, and then Mr. pots and pans here woke me up before anything else embarrassing could happen!"

A wave of relief washed over both Yuna and Tidus, as if Rikku had just given them good news.

"What the hell? You're a terrible liar Yunie, and I can read you like a book, Tidus! Spill it, why are you being so weird?" Rikku demanded.

The two convened in another eye conversation, and Yuna turned her gaze to her cousin, taking a deep sigh.

"Well… It's all going to sound so weird.." she began,

"Yeah yeah, get to it!" Rikku interrupted, ever the impatient one.

"Here goes. It started the other day when I felt a kick in my womb-"

"A kick!? You're not even showing, Yunie!"

Tidus furrowed his brow and interjected, "Just listen to the whole thing, okay? Stop interrupting." Rikku, unused to such solemnity from her friend, returned to her seat and was visibly struggling with keeping quiet.

"I know I'm not. That's why it's so weird! And worrying… Lulu said it may have to do with Tidus, since he was – or is – a dream of the fayth. That night I had this terrible dream... I didn't see or hear anything, but just felt this.. this intense malice. Like when Yu Yevon's spirit was possessing my aeons. Remember how that felt?" Yuna quietly finished.

"I do, yeah…" Rikku replied, giving a shake of discomfort.

"And then the very next night, Tidus had a dream, too. But he saw – you should probably tell it, dear." Yuna said, her eyes meeting her lover's. He placed his hand on Yuna's shoulder and picked up the story.

"So here I was, sitting on the south cliff. I completely thought this was reality, but I guess I had fallen asleep and dreamt that I hadn't…. but some kid called me Dad! It was crazy, Rikku, he really did look like he could be our kid! And he did this crazy thing where he opened a portal and we were in the farplane. Then all he said was 'protect Mom, stay by her side' or something like that. And then he disappeared!"

"That's kind of silly, you already do that!" Rikku chirped, the pep returning to her face. "You probably just had that dream because you really really want to protect Yunie!"

"Tidus, you forgot the second part." Yuna said, tensing slightly.

"Oh, yeah… Well then after he disappeared I saw this huge blue dragon! It was really cool looking to be honest, but when I looked in its eyes, it was like pure anger and hate was consuming my soul, and I couldn't even move. Then it attacked me, and all I heard was this insane laughing… then I woke up and made you pancakes!" Tidus finished, trying to play off the severity.

"Oh, wow… Do you think it's the monster from Yuna's dream or something?" Rikku said, the gravity now dawning on her.

"I don't know. I don't know anything," Yuna despaired, now burying her face in her hands. Tidus knelt and consoled her, and Rikku did the same on her other side.

"It may sound stupid or crazy, but I _know _this isn't nothing, Rikku. I'm really scared… We don't even know how to find out about these crazy coincidences!" she moaned, fighting tears. Tidus and Rikku exchanged worried glances, though Tidus' face was slightly more akin to Yuna's. He was part of the equation, after all.

"Well, if it's answers you need, then look no further! We'll travel somewhere that has lots of knowledge! Like Zanarkand, or Bevelle!" Rikku cheered. Tidus' eyes lit up, and he caught her infectious wave of enthusiasm.

"Yeah! They're talking about all these kinds of studies the Bevelle priests are doing on the telesphere, maybe there's some wiseman or something! Maechen couldn't be the only smart guy in Spira!" Tidus cried, trying to coax Yuna out of her anxiety.

"I'll call Brother right now! The Celsius will be here in no time, and we'll go get you some answers, Yunie!"

Yuna now stood as well, with hesitant excitement and desperate hope. She first hugged her cousin, then kissed her beloved.

"I'll pack for us, Yuna! You just sit and relax!" Tidus called as he darted to their room, haphazardly knocking torches and kicking dressers in his excitement.

"It'll be good to be back on the Celsius, don't you think, Yunie?" Rikku beamed.

_I wish I could just stay here and be happy, _she thought, but instead replied, "Yes, I think so. Let's go get some answers, Rikku!"

* * *

Looking around the empty verdant field, Jecht couldn't help but wonder at this child. One minute he is finally released from his bonds to Sin, the next he appears on some rock in space with a kid that looks very much like his own, and then he's travelling through portals to who the hell knows where.

"Hey kid, where are we?" he questioned.

"A planet called Gaea. We're a bit outside what will become Midgar in a few centuries when Spirans find this planet. But for now we are traveling to a local city to see if any of the priests knows anything about the monster." The boy replied without looking back. He began walking in some direction, and Jecht had no choice but to follow. It seemed to him that there couldn't be any city for miles; as far as he could see in any direction showed only more green field.

"Spirans? You mean-"

"Yep. Our descendants find some way to leave Spira and settled here. I didn't stick around to watch much, but I know one of our direct descendants plays a key role in this world's fate later on."

"Jeez. And I thought Zanarkand was the most advanced you can get. Why would they want to come to this dump? There's nothing but-" Jecht began, but was cut off by the growl of a beast. He immediately grabbed the boy and put him behind himself, ready to fight. Except..

"Dammit, I need my sword!" Jecht growled, as he strafed around what looked like a Couerl.

"No prob!" The kid replied. He tore another hole in space and produced Jecht's old sword and handed it to him no sooner than the creature pounced. With a cry from Jecht to run, the boy retreated and watching as Jecht sparred with the creature. He wildly swang his sword to repel its probe- like whiskers, and within a few minutes was able to drive the sword into the beast's neck, ending its life with an angry roar. Wide eyed, the boy stepped closer to Jecht, who stood the sword on the ground and rubbed his neck.

"Wow Grampa, you're good!"

"Yeah, and you were no help! Aren't you a thousand years old? Don't you know how to fight?" Jecht replied harshly.

"Well… No…" The boy replied, aiming his eyes at the ground. Jecht's face softened, and he knelt in fornt of his young companion.

"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. You're still young, huh? Fighting isn't something you should worry about. Just stay close to me and not the fiends, okay?"

The boy nodded. At least he wasn't crying. Maybe Jecht was just getting better at parenting…

"Well let's keep going. " The boy said flatly, continuing on their original bearing. Jecht was going to ask how he just summoned his sword out of nowhere, but it seemed like nothing was impossible with this kid. Why couldn't he just disappear the monster into some other dimension or something? That would have been much easier. _Whatever,_ Jecht thought.

Many hours passed, intermittently interrupted by monsters of various types. None were any problem for Jecht, but he was becoming quite impatient. The green field slowly began to become less lush, and Jecht could tell they were headed toward an ocean.

"Where the hell are we going, anyway? Why couldn't you just teleport us right to where we needed to go?" Jecht demanded.

"I can't just appear in thin air anywhere I want, Grampa! Imagine if I had done that to you on your pilgrimage, wouldn't you have thought it was odd? These people don't know about other worlds or universes, and we don't want to scare them. I had to be sure absolutely no one would see us just appear out of nowhere. Save your questions for when we get there, I need to remember the way there and you're distracting me."

_Well aren't you polite, _Jecht thought to himself. He wasn't the type to ask a whole lot of questions, so he just assumed this kid is all knowing. Or something like that. Just kill fiends and protect the kid. Chuckling, Jecht realized he was a guardian again.

"Aha! See it? Just over that next hill!" The boy cried excitedly. Squinting, Jecht saw a very foreign looking town, made into the side of a mountain on the ocean shore.

"Well, let's get there already. I'm sick of walkin'" Jecht murmured, prompting the boy to follow after him.

* * *

Rikku enthusiastically dug her commsphere out of her pocket and dialed Brother.

"Rao eteud! Fa'na kuehk uh yh ytjahdina! Tnub fryd oui'na tuehk yht belg ic ib eh Pacyet!" (Hey idiot! We're going on an adventure! Drop what you're doing and pick us up in Besaid!")

After a short silence, Brother's familiar screech erupted from Rikku's commshpere.

"Rikku! E's jano pico! E's hud zicd ouin cmyja du lussyht! Veht cusauha amca du lynd oui ynuiht! (Rikku! I'm very busy! I'm not just your slave to command! Find someone else to cart you around!)

"Ur bmayca! Oui'ja paah vmoehk Calli ymm ynuiht Spira zicd du bmayca ran, lyh'd oui zicd ycg ran uid ymnayto yht tu ouin tayn cecdan y cumet? Ed'c vun Yuna, yhofyo!" (Oh please! You've been flying Calli all around Spira just to please her, can't you just ask her out already and do your dear sister a solid? It's for Yuna, anyway!)

"Yuna? I'll be right there! We are just in Kilika!"

"Thanks bro!" Rikku squealed, and gave her cousin a manic smile that usually followed when she got her way.

"What was that about Calli?" Yuna questioned, only able to make out the names in the siblings' rapid fire Al Bhed.

"Oh, Brother's too chicken to ask her out and has been flying the Celsius to anywhere she wants to go. It's sweet I guess, but so hopeless.. I told him to just ask her out and come do Yuna a solid!"

"He just dropped everything to do me a favor?" Yuna replied uncomfortably.

"Yeah! He isn't weirdly in love with you anymore thanks to his pining for Calli, but apparently still cares enough to help us out. Which is what I was banking on! Go Rikku!" The blonde cheered, still on a jovial high.

"...You didn't tell him I'm pregnant, did you?" Yuna asked, narrowing her eyes on her cousin.

"Well... I haven't talked to anyone much since I got here... Besides, he's been busy with Calli! I figured with all the coverage it's getting on the telesphere he'd have found out one way or another. Don't worry, he won't get all weird!" Rikku assured, but Yuna only sighed.

"Who won't get all weird?" Tidus asked suddenly, having just entered the room with two bulging suitcases. He'd always been terrible at folding things...

"Brother. He had this gross crush on Yuna while you were gone, and I kind of forgot to tell him she's pregnant with your kid..." Rikku answered as she fiddled with her hair nervously.

"Oh boy... Yuna told me about him." The blitzer said, suddenly feeling awkward.

"It's nothing to worry about, dear. He's family. And he's the next step between here and some answers. You and me, right?" Yuna inserted, laying her head on Tidus' chest. He grinned at the gesture and wrapped his arm around Yuna, regaining his previous good spirit.

"Right! We're just gonna go on an adventure just like old times, but with no Sin or crazy monsters chasing us! It'll be a breeze, you guys!" Tidus said enthusiastically. Yuna allowed herself a smile, and tangibly relaxed in Tidus' embrace.

"Oh! Speaking of old times, we should let Wakka and Lulu know we'll be gone! They'd worry if we suddenly disappeared." Yuna said as she sobered out of her stasis. "I'll go, you two get to clean the dishes and Rikku can help you pack out suitcases like a normal person!" she joked to Tidus, though Rikku made a sour face. Dishes were here least favorite thing in all of Spira. However, Yuna had already left the hut with a reassuring spring in her step, and the two wouldn't have argued if they wanted to; Yuna was smiling.

"I guess we'd better get at it, then." Tidus sighed as he started scrubbing the pan he had made the pancakes in."

"Oh, pooie. I'll just repack the stuff, you can do the dumb dishes." The Al Bhed girl replied, swiftly distancing herself from their small kitchen. Unzipping the first suitcase, she was greeted by clothes bursting out of the over-stuffed bag.

"Jeez! You really suck at this, Tidus! You didn't even sort out the clothes, you've got you and Yuna's stuff mixed together! Don't you ever travel?"

Tidus only laughed as he cleaned off another plate and set it on a rack to dry. "Not really. When I warped to Spira, I only had the clothes on my back. Give me a break, I've been in limbo for two years!"

"Whatever, dude. You only child weirdos are missing out on a lot of skills." Rikku replied as she methodically sorted out the clothing and repacked it. The suitcases were much slimmer now.

"Yeah, this weirdo has been cooking all your meals for months! You have your skills, I've got mine!" Rikku blew a raspberry and sat on the couch as Tidus finished up the dishes.

"Tidus, tell the truth. Are you worried about all this dream monster-Yuna pregnant stuff?" Rikku asked seriously, which was a rare happenstance. Tidus sighed and sat next to her, training his eyes on his hands as he dried them with a hand towel.

"Of course I am. I'm still worried every day that I'll wake up in a dream, and all this wasn't real. But it is. I know in my gut that these aren't coincidences, but If I panic, Yuna will absolutely freak out, and I don't want her to worry about anything. She does plenty of that all on her own."

Rikku was silent for a moment, and Tidus managed a smile.

"But with you and me on the case, I know everything will turn out all right. We're still her guardians, ya know?"

"Darn tootin!" Rikku replied as her usual smile resurfaced. "Like you said, there's no monsters to fight this time! This'll be no problem!" she continued.

_I sure hope that's right, _Tidus thought. "Let's go get Yuna, she's been over at Wakka and Lulu's for a while now." The two pushed the entrance rug aside and headed for their friends' hut, but were distracted by a high pitched male cry as they walked.

"Yuna pregnant!? With blonde boy's baby!? Why didn't anyone tell me!?"

"Oh, Brother..." Rikku sighed, hand on her face. (A/N pun fucking intended)


	5. The Cost of Complacency

A/N** First off, i'm doing my best to try to add some excitement into the writing without a lot of pointless verbiage. So... let me know how that went. Also, I _STRONGLY _** recommend listing to Marco Sfogli's song Genius during battle scenes, or even when you play Final Fantasy yourself. It's a badass tune and gets me totally excited about writing, guitar, and final fantasy, my three very favorite things. Anyway, here's chapter five!

* * *

"Oh, Brother…"

The young man's screeching voice turned quite a few heads around the village. Rikku and Tidus had barely taken three steps out of the hut when Brother quite loudly caught their (and the whole village's) attention. Everyone within earshot (which was a large radius due to Brother's trademark single volume voice) froze and cautiously eyed the heavily tattooed man, and Yuna herself had now curiously poked her head out of Wakka and Lulu's hut to investigate. Rikku and her companion took slow breaths in anticipation…

"That's wonderful news!" Brother cried, his manic smile nearly jumping off his face. Before a palpable breaking of tension could occur, he started dancing jovially, grabbing a very confused Rikku's hands and gesturing for her to join him. Befuddled beyond belief, the girl followed along, with only nervous laughs complementing his joyous ones.

Brother's attention now turned to Tidus, who wasn't sure how to react. Brother quickly moved his hand towards Tidus, who instinctively took a defensive postion. However, the crazed Al Bhed merely produced a hand to shake.

"Tidus!" Brother began in his ridiculously thick accent, "I am so hap-py to hear the newce! Yuna was so sad while you were gone, and she is finally happy. And now she is going to be a mah-ther! Ed'c knayd!" he finished, furiously shaking Tidus' hand. By now, Yuna had arrived at Tidus' side with a grateful smile on her face. The villagers seemed to relax and return to their days, still eavesdropping on this sudden spectacle.

"It's good to see you again, Brother! I must admit, I'm - surprised you're so happy with the news." she said.

"Of course I'm happy! If Yuna is finally smiling, Brother is happy! Rikku gave me quite the talk about blonde-boy, and I have decided it is best for you to be with him!" he said, which made Yuna turn her eyes to her other cousin.

"Oh, yeah! Mr. Megaphone here wasn't, well... happy that you took off so suddenly when Tidus came back. Can you believe he thought he was Shuyin? I got tired of his moping after we left you guys and kind of yelled at him. Looks like I got through his thick skull!" Rikku supplied, teasingly elbowing her brother in the ribs.

"Moping! I do not mope! I am Captain of the Gullwings!" Brother cried, which made Yuna smile. Once again, his face softened and his outbursts ceased.

"But Brother, I'd told you about him countless times on our sphere hunts! Don't you remember meeting him on my pilgrimage?" Yuna playfully reprimanded.

The young Al Bhed put his face rather close to Tidus', surveying his features with little respect for personal space.

"Uv luinca! You're the one who was going to save Yuna acting all brave and then Vydran beat up! Ha! Of course I remember you now!"

"What? He didn't beat me up! I just didn't want to get into it with Rikku's old man. Especially when we had to rescue Yuna!" Tidus harrumphed, though Brother only scoffed.

"Anyway! Yuna, I'm so happy that I will be an uncle!" Brother said, ignoring Tidus' reply.

"Actually, you'll just be a second cousin...Yunie's our _cousin_, Brother." Rikku sighed, with her hand on her forehead.

"Oh..." Brother's shoulders sank slightly, though he soon perked back up again, and continued, "Well, you know what I mean! I am very happy for Yuna and blonde boy!"

"Yeah, my name's Tidus." the blitzer groaned, without caring to mask his annoyance with Brother's lack of respect. "Besides, 'Uncle Brother' would sound kinda weird, wouldn't it? Don't want to confuse the kid."

There was a silence. Mostly, everyone was waiting for Brother's reaction. He was unpredictable, and seemed to have a hair trigger that no one had quite figured out.

"Anyway! I hear we are going somewhere?" Brother continued, again ignoring Tidus.

"That's right, bro! Yunie and Tidus want to go to Bevelle!" Rikku chirped, her fist in the air as if celebrating.

"Fuhtanvim! what for?" Brother asked, which was a logical question. However, the three seemed to wince. They couldn't exactly explain everything to Brother of all people... he would definitely spike the stress levels.

"Yunie has an important doctor's appointment! Ya know, for the baby!" Rikku managed. Tidus and Yuna sighed with relief, pleased with their friend's effortless deception.

"Doctor? Is Yuna okay?" Brother fretted.

"She's fine, ya dope! Being pregnant is hard, not that you _boys_ would know, so Yunie needs to go to a good doctor - in Bevelle! They owe our dear High Summoner a few favors, I dare say." Rikku spoke nonchalantly while "inspecting" her fingernails. _Yeesh, she's really laying it on thick," _Tidus thought. It was slightly unnerving how easily she had come up with an alibi. Maybe her years growing up with a strict dad and such a gullible brother had honed that skill...

"Then of course we go! I'll go warm up the ship right now!" Brother cried, not waiting for a reply before he bounded off to the beach to do so.

"Sure was in a hurry, huh?" Tidus mused, still annoyed at Brother's... let's say personality.

"I'm not sure if it's so he can do Yuna a favor quicker, or so he can see Calli again quicker! Ha!" Rikku teased, though Yuna and Tidus didn't comment. Though Yuna was kind, she never got quite used to her own cousin being so obsequious towards her.

"Either way," Yuna began, "We have a journey to start. Ready, guys?" she smiled.

"You bet!" Tidus cheered, and Rikku also raised her fist in agreement. "Yeah! Let's go get some answers, gang!"

* * *

Tidus hauled the luggage (two suitcases and Rikku's duffle bag) and precariously stowed Brotherhood in his arm while Rikku led Yuna down the road to the beach.

"Rikku, I'm not that delicate you know!" Yuna admonished. The girl had Yuna's arm and gingerly huided her over every rock as if she was made of glass.

"Sorry, cuz! I'm still your guardian, ya know?"

Those words. Tidus had said them to her the other day, and now Rikku threw them out so casually. _Am I just a damsel in distress every time? I thought we could all move past the old ways..._

"I know, Rikku. But you didn't have to save me every day when I was a Gullwing, remember?" Yuna politely broke free of Rikku's grasp and walked a few steps forward before turning to say,

"See? Nothing bad happened. I'm perfectly capable of-"

**_Crash!_**

"Yuna!" Tidus and Rikku cried in unison. A large aerial fiend had landed harshly just ten feet in front of her, knocking the summoner to the ground. Tidus dropped everything and brandished his sword, while Rikku extracted her daggers and joined and joined his side between Yuna and the fiend.

"Let's dance, ya jag!" Tidus cried, while jumping forward and slashing wildly with Brotherhood. Rikku took a similar course of action and began performing quick cuts at the fiend's stout legs. However, the beast quickly began swinging its monstrous head to and fro with the intention of grabbing one of its victims with its massive teeth. The two guardians were much too swift, and kept dodging and slashing.

"Tidus, where are my guns!?" the bewildered Yuna cried while jumping to her feet. She didn't feel the need to wear them on her waist, considering the couple hadn't run into fiends for quite a few weeks. She scolded herself for allowing herself to get complacent.

"In the bag somewhere!" Tidus shouted back, nearly dodging a jagged talon.

"I told you that you were terrible at packing!" Rikku scolded while jumping back to avoid being snatched up.

"Not the time, Rikku!"

Yuna wildly clawed through the bags, throwing aside Rikku's neatly folded clothes and the supplies Tidus had actually remembered to pack. With her friends wrestling the large monster only yards away, she indiscriminately upended each bag without grace to find her only way of assistance.

"Whoa!" Tidus gasped. The fiend had taken to the air, obviously tiring of the cat scratches our heroes were decorating it with. With a great beat of its wings, the fiend prepped for a downward stab with its maw. Rikku managed to once again evade it, but Tidus caught the brunt of its mighty jaw, barely managing to block its teeth with his sword. He was knocked to the ground, nearly inside the creature's mouth, only the width of his sword standing between him and being devoured.

"Damn it Tidus, I can't find them!" Yuna cried hysterically, eager to help her love. She was still frantically searching the _stupid _bags for her trusty pistols while Tidus wrestled for his life. _How could I have been so stupid!? _ Rikku tried desperately to slash at the creature's neck to distract it, but its outer neck was covered in a thick furry hide that was too much for her small daggers. _You damn thing! Get OFF my friend!_

_"_Little help, ladies?" Tidus grunted. The beast was shoving his body all through the dirt, but he expertly kept Brotherhood between its teeth and himself. This wasn't his first rodeo, but one doesn't really get used to such a terrible situation. Especially that fiend breath...

"Really you guys, I'm not exactly on a vacation here!"

"Is this a joke to you!? I'm doing my best!" Rikku screamed. She desperately made a gambit to stab the fiend's eye while it was focused on Tidus, but it got wise to her presence and in a flash had rammed its head into her, knocking her to the ground and nearly off the mountain; Tidus didn't have enough time to recover and soon found himself back under its ferocious snapping jaws.

"No! Rikku!" Yuna bellowed; she bolted to her cousin, whose lower body was hanging over the cliff.

Suddenly, everyone was screaming. Tidus, because of his desperate big to stay out of the fiend's jaws; Yuna because of her nearly losing her cousin to an incalculably high fall, and Rikku herself for nearly dying. However, suddenly:

**Wham!**

The fiend recoiled and began to stagger backwards, flapping its great wings wildly. It seemed disoriented, and everyone froze, unable to process the quite sudden turn of events.

"Whoo-ha! You guys are really out of practice, ya? Now who's chubby, Rikku!"

Wakka's blitzball had soared more than 50 feet, straight into the fiend's eyes. As Tidus sprung from the ground and regained his composure, he noticed that the fiend had a black cloud around its eyes. _A dark attack...Way to go, Wakka!_

Tidus knew an opportunity when it presented itself. The fiend was wildly swinging its head aorund, trying to shake the sudden darkness and fend off its would-be prey. However, Tidus and Wakka had made this play plenty of times, and he knew exactly how to ring it in. Just as every other fiend of its kind, and stuck to the ground (since it couldn't take flight while blind) and gnashed its monstrous teeth and beat its wings to repel attackers, but the blitzer was well practiced at evading and maneuvering through the wild offense. He ducked and dodged until he could reach its head, and with a fierce slash, opened its exposed throat. The beast let out a final feral screech, but soon toppled off the mountainside and burst into pyreflies.

Silence.

Wakka beheld his friends. Yuna and Rikku were standing near the cliff in each other's arms, crying, and Tidus looked like he had just rolled in the dirt. The smug smile he wore quickly faded.

"Whoa, are you guys okay? What happened?" he asked, concerned.

The three merely eyed each other, all with the same mixture of embarrassment, relief, and bewilderment. However, he went unanswered. Yuna merely cried more, gasping about her guns, while Tidus sheepishly approached her.

"Yuna, I'm so sorr-"

"I don't care! Just don't EVER forget anything ever again, you got it!? I almost lost BOTH of you...to a fiend!" She sobbed hysterically. Rikku herself was still pretty shaken. How had such a common monster given them so much trouble?

"Wakka, thank you so much!" Yuna hugged her old friend and bowed several times.

"Wakka uncomfortably stood and managed, "No prob! But you guys are out of practice! Just because it's the Calm don't mean the fiends are gone, ya? You gotta be on the ball!"

Tidus directed his eyes to the ground. Wakka was right... _I can't guard Yuna if I'm dead._

Yuna let out a heavy sigh.

"Let's just... Be on our toes. Alright, guys?"

"Yes ma'am!" Tidus chimed, while Rikku merely nodded.

"Oh, Yuna.." Wakka began, while he set his blitzball on the ground and furrowed through a bag in his shoulder, "Lu said you'll be needing these." He produced her two .45 caliber pistols and a waist holster, though didn't look too pleased with holding them. Yuna eagerly snatched them up and attached them to her hips, looking much calmer.

"Thanks, Wakka. I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't shown up just now!"

"Ah, it's nothin, ya? I'm glad Lulu noticed you forgot these. Happy to help!" he replied humbly. "But one thing... is it safe for you to be fighting while you're pregnant?" It was a pretty fair question.

Now Yuna averted her eyes.

"We hadn't really... planned on encountering many fiends. I guess we were very foolish in that." she flatly replied. Shame seemed to cross her face, and Tidus pressed his forehead against hers in consolation.

"I'm sorry again, Yuna. And Rikku too. It's my fault, I had so much on my mind and I assumed the fiends would be as infrequent as they have been lately. I'll never let you guys be in danger like that again." Tidus solemnly pledged.

"I think we've all had a lot on our minds. Let's just check back in to reality, ya know?" Rikku inserted, trying to cheer herself and the others up.

"What could distract you guys from fiends? You're guardians, for Yevon's sake! Wakka demanded.

"Well, it's kind of a long story.." Yuna began, but soon Brother's familiar screech erupted from Rikku's commsphere.

"Rikku! Why are you not here yet!?"

"Shut up, Brother! We'll be there soon!" Rikku snapped, and turned off her comm before he could shriek back at her.

Wakka's mild bemusement prompted Yuna to continue.

"We need to get to Bevelle. I'll tell you on the way to the ship, okay?"

* * *

**Gaea**

"Alright Grampa, when we are in the town, try not to draw any attention to yourself. I'm not sure how aware these beings are of outside life, and we want to make our influence here as minimal as possible. So just... don't be yourself for a little bit, okay?"

"What do you mean, beings? Are they some sorta weirdo monsters or somethin'?" Jecht questioned, though the boy only pressed his palm to his forehead.

"Just follow me and try not to talk too much, okay?"

Jecht hmphed and gave up on questions. Once again, the boy was annoyingly vague.

They were standing under an arch that led into a rather strange looking town; the buidlings were made with what looked like mud or clay, and they were built right into the very mountain that overlooked the coast. Aside from the architecture, Jecht noticed that it was nearly midday and the streets were deserted. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and cautiously followed the boy.

_This place gives me the willies, that's for darn sure, _he thought.

The town was laid out like a grid, with a large square at the center and clay buildings that towered against the mountain. It was no Zanarkand, but Jecht liked these people's style, whoever the hell they were. Were they even here?

"This way," the boy stated, taking a slight turn and heading for the mountain. Jecht was about to ask where they were headed, but didn't feel like getting annoyed at his lack of an answer. However, this time the boy provided an unsolicited explanation.

"We're going to the temple - that building near the center of town. See? That tall one that's built into the mountain."

It was immediately apparent which building the boy meant. The rest of the buildings were rectangular, but this temple dwarfed the others, and was in the shape of a ziggurat. Once again, Jecht only grunted in reply, nearly hoping to annoy the kid back for being so damn serious. However, he took no note and the two continued down the dusty wide streets towards their destination. As they approached, a sudden loud crashing gong interrupted the eerie silence.

"What the hell?" Jecht tightened the grip on his sword and took a defensive stance, though the kid didn't stop moving.

"Not to worry. Their worship time is over, and they will soon be going back about their business. Come on now, we don't want too many to see us." The boy now quickened his pace, and began traversing up the long staircase. Jecht bounded a few steps to catch up and followed suit. Feeling a spark of familiarity, he broke into a brisk jog up the stairs, rhythmically stomping upward with a smirk.

"Just like the bleachers at blitz practice!" he laughed, gesturing for his companion to race him.

"Whoa, hang on now!" the boy began, but Jecht merely scoffed.

"Come on kid, have a little fun! Can't you beat an old man in a race?" Jecht was now quite far ahead of the boy, near the pleateud top that held large pillars under an ornate ceiling.

"Grampa, wait-"

"Where's your sense of fun, kid?" He bounded on.

"Seriously, listen to me!

Ignored. Jecht sprinted upwards, causing the boy to have to take multiple steps at a time.

"Jecht! Stop!" he hissed, obviously trying not to be too loud.

"Come on kid, I can see for miles up here!" He had reached to top running backwards, smugly grinning at his partner who was gasping for air as he tried to close the distance.

"Keep it down! Seriously, Jecht! We don't want to-"

A lion-like roar erupted behind Jecht, who wheeled around in shock as he instinctively armed himself.

"What the hell is that!?" he shouted. Before him were three odd looking quadrupeds with flame-red fur and manes. Were they - wearing feathers? What an odd fiend! Jecht nearly lunged, when he heard the supposed fiend _speak._

_"_You dare draw a weapon in this hallowed place, intruder?" the beast in the center barked, effectively stopping Jecht in his tracks.

"Unforgivable!" the one on the left snarled, while the third merley let out a loud roar.

_Now I've seen everything, _Jecht thought.

"Wait, stop!" the boy had finally reached the top, nearly doubled over to breathe, but not before the lion-thing lunged at Jecht.

"No! Stop!"

* * *

**Besaid Beach**

"So you see, we really have no other leads, no idea what else to do, " Yuna began, her hand tight on the grip of her pistol, "but we are convinced that this is something...Unordinary."

Wakka let the information swirl in his head. Hand in chin, he seemed lost in thought.

"Wakka?" Yuna softly asked.

"Lu mentioned something like that last night. That's actually the reason I came."

"Oh?" Rikku blurted.

"That's right. She seemed a bit... I don't want to say worried, but she told me what you told her yesterday and was a bit unsure. When she saw you forgot your guns she had me follow you and told me to go help. I guess I'm the errand boy now that Vidina's along, ya?"

"Don't you need to stay and help with him?" Tidus questioned. The three were now in a semi-circle around their flame haired friend.

"Yep! I don't feel too happy about leaving them behind, but you told her today you'd only be gone a day or so, and she said she wouldn't be comfortable if I didn't help. You scrubs almost got killed before you even hit the beach, ya? Maybe I'm with her on that."

The others all took a step back, trying to forget about the mishap from just ten minutes prior.

"So what do you say? Up for one more?" Wakka asked, trying to breathe some levity back in the conversation.

"The more the merrier!" Rikku chirped, though she and Tidus looked to Yuna for confirmation.

She smirked. "Of course we'll have you, _Sir _Wakka!"

"All right! Just like old times!" Tidus cheered. He wrapped his arm around Yuna's shoulder, and she laced her fingers in his.

_Not too much like last time, I hope... _she mused.

"Rikku! Ruf nita uv oui du dinh uvv ouin luss! Kad uh dra creb pavuna E lryhka so seht!" (**How rude of you to turn off your comm! Get on the ship before I change my mind!**) Brother was fuming at the base of the entrance ramp, his fist waving in the air.

"Uh, what's he sayin'?" Wakka asked.

"Oh, he's just welcoming aboard! Time for an adventure, you guys!" she said dismissively as they approached the ramp. First Rikku, then Tidus, and finally a hesitant Wakka. He turned for a last look at the island, remembering Lulu's instructions to follow along with them. He would miss her and Vidina, and they him, but it seemed like the old Guardian suit never really got hung up. Not yet, at least.


End file.
